Lonely Day
by john4096
Summary: Not really a songfic, but a story based around the song "Lonely Day" by System of a Down. I know the first few chapters might seem like a repeat of the movie, but they're just a short lead up to the new story.
1. Prelude

**Lonely Day**

Prelude

Darkness crept over Emperor Land. As the sun drifted lower and lower towards the horizon, a young, blue-eyed chick was getting ready to sleep. Before nightfall, his mother asked him about his day.

The young Mumble's face became sad and lonely, "Ms. Viola tried to get me involved in the class again and…you know…" He sighed sadly, "why do the other chicks hate me so much?"

His mother gave him a sympathetic look, "There, there, Mumble. They don't hate you. It just makes them a little uncomfortable when people act differently from them."

When he looked unconvinced, Norma Jean smiled and said: "Don't worry about it, baby. Now let mommy sing you to sleep."

Mumble smiled happily up at her. Her singing always did a good job of making him feel better. Norma Jean nuzzled her son before clearing her throat:

_Good night, good night_

_Sweet baby_

_The world has more for you_

_Than it seems_

_Good night, good night_

_Let the moonlight_

_Take the lid_

_Off your dreams_


	2. Chapter 1: Growing Pains

Chapter 1 – Growing pains

"And so, our ancestors forsook our wings for flippers—as ye graduates are about to see for the first time, and to reap the benefits of their wise choice…"

Mumble wasn't listening to Noah's speech. He would not be graduating. Despite his efforts, his singing ability had not improved. For various political reasons he didn't clearly understand, the elders had decided that it would "be best for everyone" if he remained in school.

But Mumble was much older now. He had grown to be nearly seventy pounds, and a good hundred and twelve centimeters in height. His flippers had developed unique, white markings, and a large number of adult feathers had grown in. He still had a large patch of baby down on his upper body though, and his eyes were as cold blue as always.

Another thing that had changed was the way he began to regard Gloria. They had been friends since birth, but Mumble felt awkward around her now. He found that he spent his time away from her wishing she were present, and his time around her wishing he were invisible.

And now, she would move on without him—she would graduate, he would not. He didn't know how long it would be before he next saw her. And what if she were to find a mate? What if she were to start a family? It would be too uncomfortable for him.

She was the only one who didn't mind that he couldn't sing, and she found his dancing amusing. Now, all he felt was suffocating loneliness at the thought of losing her too.

_Such a lonely day_

_And its mine_

_The most loneliest day of my life—_

He was startled by his mother's voice. He closed his beak, fearing she had heard him singing quietly to himself.

"You know what? We're going to have a little graduation ceremony of our own!"

His face lit up, "you mean it, ma?"

"You betchya! Excelsior! Ya, ya, ya!" And she ruffled some of his baby feathers off of him, throwing them into the air.

As he made his way towards the ocean with his fellow graduates, Mumble again realized his mother's unique gift for cheering him up.


	3. Chapter 2: Outcast

Chapter 2 – Outcast

_…me somebody to love_

_Find me somebody to love_

_Find me somebody to love…_

As the graduating class sang in unison, Mumble felt the music spark something inside him. He began tapping to the beat, becoming more and more passionate. The music flowed through his veins, his actions becoming instinctive. Eventually, the excitement got the better of him, just as Gloria was driving the song home:

"—somebody to…LOVE!"

At that, Mumble lost control. He sang out, with all his heart, in his horrible, squeaky voice.

The music died.

All eyes were on Mumble. He felt his cheeks burn beneath his white, baby down. He was too embarrassed to hear what Gloria was saying, but he got the message.

As he stood on a smaller ice burg a short distance away from the party, Mumble, without anything to distract him, began to feel the loneliness creep through his veins again. He was so far away this time, no one could hear him sing:

_Such a lonely day_

_Should be banned_

_It's a day that I can't stand…_


	4. Chapter 3: Finding Your Voice

Chapter 3 – Finding Your Voice

Mumble watched as male after male made his attempt at claiming Gloria's heart. It pained him to watch as each song was added to the din of voices, all trying to catch Gloria's attention. Each note was like a stake through Mumble's chest: it was only a matter of time before one hit its mark and broke his heart.

Once Gloria chose a mate, she would be responsible for nursing a chick…or two…or three. Mumble would see very little of her after that—raising a family takes time. As he contemplated his future alone, an all-too-familiar sensation began to flow through his limbs.

_Such a lonely day_

_Shouldn't exist_

_It's a day that I'll never miss…_

As he sang to himself quietly, his feet began to tap instinctively. Yet again, the emotion built, fueling his motions. Soon, he became lost in the music that only he could hear.

"Mumble?"

He was snapped out of his trance by Gloria's sweet, melodic voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry", Mumble said sincerely, fearing that his tapping had been too loud. He hadn't meant to distract Gloria from the most important decision of her life. Whatever happened, he had hoped that Gloria would still be his friend, and he didn't want anything to ruin that.

Gloria gave him a look of intrigue: she had never paid much attention to his dancing before. Gloria smiled into his eyes, a daring look on her face, "Do that again!"

Mumble stared back in disbelief. No one had ever encouraged his tapping before.

"This?", he asked uncertainly.

He began tapping again. As he did so, Gloria opened her beak and began to sing her heart song:

_Midnight creeps so slowly_

_Into hearts of those _

_Who need more than the get_

_Daylight deals a bad hand_

_To a penguin_

_Who has laid too many bets…_

As Gloria sang, Mumble tapped his feet in rhythm. Soon, others joined in and Gloria, taking pointers from him, began to tap as well. Their dancing became more intimate and he began to feel as light as the feathers on his chest. As the song went on well into the night, Mumble's head blazed with a single thought:

He would never be lonely again.


	5. Chapter 4: Harsh Reality

Chapter 4 – Harsh Reality

_Such a lonely day_

_And it's mine_

_The most loneliest day of my life…_

Mumble sang quietly to himself as he stood in the great huddle, his father next to him. The winter was almost over, and the two penguins were exhausted—eager to see their mates again.

"It's almost worth the whole ordeal, Mumble, boy", Memphis explained to him, "When you see her for the first time after months of loneliness, it's like falling in love all over again."

Mumble smiled back at his father, but was too tired to respond. Instead, his eyes fell to his feet. There was nothing to obstruct his view: he did not have an egg to protect this winter, but he was determined to suggest it to Gloria this year.

It was difficult for Mumble to go so long without her. True, the amigos had dropped by a few times, and he had the opportunity to get to know his dad better. However, this was meager compensation for her company—nothing compared to the excitement he felt every time the thought entered his mind:

She'll be here soon.

Just then, a cry of "Wives ho!", broke out across the vast plains of ice. Mumble's feet began to tap uncontrollably in anticipation: he was anxious to see his love again.

The males rushed forward, desperate to find their mates. The white, open plains of ice turned into a black swarm of birds, all calling to their spouses.

As Mumble entered into the mix, he began searching frantically, calling out to Gloria. Though he dared not yell too loudly—lest his voice attract too much attention—his concern began to grow.

"Mumble! Mumble, boy!"

Mumble's head shot towards the source of the sound. It wasn't Gloria, but his father calling out to him. Something about the tone of the older penguin's voice worried Mumble.

As he worked his way through the crowd towards his father, he saw that Memphis was wearing a look of deep concern. He jumped every time another penguin bumped into him.

"Mumble, have you seen your mother?" his father asked desperately as Mumble came within hearing range, "I can't find her anywhere!".

Just as Mumble was about to reply that he had not seen Norma Jean either, his mother's voice sounded a short distance to his left.

"Memphis?", her voiced sounded strained.

As she approached the place where he and his father stood, Mumble noticed that his mother seemed to be walking with a bit of a limp. Mumble called out, happy to see her again.

"Ma!", as she approached her injury became more apparent. "Ma…what's the matter? What happened to your leg!"

"Oh, Mumble!" She quickened her pace, a look of pain shooting across her face with the added effort. Before she said anything more, she gave Mumble and his father a long, loving nuzzle.

"Ma, what happened?", Mumble persisted.

"Did something hurt you, Norma Jena?" Memphis cut in. "Are you in pain? Should we get help?—"

Norma Jean stopped him, "I'm fine, sugar, really. Just a scratch…."

It looked like more than a scratch to Mumble. A fairly large gash ran up her left leg, deep red with dried blood. He and Memphis tried to pry more information from her, but she insisted that it would heal, and that she would be perfectly fine. Mumble wasn't convinced but, desperate for news, he asked whether she knew where Gloria was.

"Oh, Mumble…", she looked up at him with deeply sorrowful eyes. "Mumble…I…"

"What is it ma?", Mumble asked. With each passing second his fear worsened. Already most of the other males had found their mates and returned to their nests. Only a few stragglers remained.

She let out a deep sigh. "Gloria and I were fishing together. We were getting tired, but she insisted that we stay out a little longer. She thought we would stand a better chance of catching something while the other females were asleep."

Norma Jean's voice began to tremble, "While we were out…a leopard seal found us. We tried our best to escape, but we weren't fast enough…". At this, she held up her leg to reveal the extent of the damage the seal had dealt her. Memphis let out an audible gasp; Mumble looked away.

Tears began to flow from his mother's eyes as she finished her story, "I just barely made it out of the water in time. When I looked behind me, I couldn't see Gloria."

She began to sob. It unnerved Mumble: he had never seen his mother cry before.

"I thought she might've already gone back without me—we had gotten separated when the seal attacked. But when I got there…she wasn't…I….".

Norma Jean couldn't continue. Memphis wrapped his flippers around her and began to whisper in her ear gently. Finally, when she had calmed down a little, he guided her back to their nest to comfort her. Mumble was left alone with the news.

He would not be seeing Gloria again.


	6. Chapter 5: The Hero's Downfall

Chapter 5 – The Hero's Downfall

_The most loneliest day of my life_

_The most loneliest day of my life…_

Mumble stood atop a tall cliff of ice. It was twice the size of the one from which he and the amigos had observed the alien fishing machines. A fall of this height would be fatal.

He stood, looking out at the horizon, contemplating the loss of his mate. She was the only one who stood by him, the only one who understood him. She defended him when the others mocked his singing. She cared for him when the others simply wished he were dead. And now, she was gone.

His crystal blue eyes began to swim with tears as he thought about her. He would never again hold her flipper. He would never again stare, somewhat shyly, into those deep, brown eyes. He would never again hear her sweet voice.

As he stood there, looking out over the vast sea, he began to sing once more.

_And if you go_

_I want to go with you…_

He took a step towards the cliff's edge, looking down into the abyss.

_And if you die_

_I want to die with you…_

With that, he threw himself from the cliff, headfirst. As the wind whistled in ears and the water approached at ridiculous speeds, he pictured her face in his mind. He would see her again…soon enough.

Take your hand and walk away…

The cold wind chiselled at his face. His heart was screaming in his chest, voicing the fear to which he refused yield. And then, it was over.


	7. Epilogue

Chapter 6 – Epilogue

Norma Jean watched as the body of her son was laid before her. His flippers stuck out at odd angles, disconnected at the shoulders. Many of the feathers covering his chest had been torn out with the force of the impact. His sparkling blue eyes, now devoid of life, stared unblinking up at the sky.

So much had happened in such a short period of time. She doubted she could feel anything anymore—she was numb. As she left to tell Memphis the news, she finished the song she had heard Mumble singing when he was just a chick:

_Such a lonely day_

_And it's mine_

_It's a day that I'm glad I survived_

_

* * *

_

This story was based around the song _Lonely Day_ by System of a Down. I neither own this song, nor Happy Feet, nor Lullabye by Ben Folds Five (sung by Norma Jean in the Prelude).

Despite the song, this sotry wasn't originally intended to have been so depressing, but I think I like the way it turned out better than my original plan. I also feel that I should explain all of Mumble's singing. I noticed, in the movie, that Mumble did seem to have a desire to sing, such as during the big graduation party, but he simply couldn't. I think that, if he were capable of it, he would sing AND dance. I debated between having Mumble actually sing the lyrics, and having him simply play them in his head. In the end, I felt it more effective if he sing or mumble them (no pun intended). It's not that he sings any better than in the movie, he just does it quietly so no one notices.

Anyway, I'd greatly appreciate any comments or reviews you might have. I'll also try to get around to uploading the other Happy Feet stories I have lying around. Until then, let me know what you think!


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